Nearly 60% of Maine students will get tablet computers instead of laptops through the state's school laptop program, for which tablets have not previously been an option. One school official told the Portland Press Herald that Apple's iPad tablets represent the future in education and cost less than laptops. Around 30% of schools selected the Apple MacBook Air, at a higher cost, and 10% chose the Windows-based Hewlett-Packard ProBook 4440 for its students.

Will tablets provide Maine students the same benefits as laptop computers?